Scan & Fix 50 registry issues FREECNET Editors' review
Despite a glut of free player/encoders, it's tough to find one that meets our expectations. Formerly known as Sound DB, MediaMonkey has excellent library-management tools that keep the largest digital music collections well organized. Stir that up with integrated CD and DVD burning, a stellar interface, a full-featured encoder, and the ability to sync with portable audio devices such as the iPod, and you have a pretty compelling product.
Upon first launch, the program scans your drive for supported digital media files to add to the library. Files are sorted based on their ID3 tags, and the helpful Auto-Rename and Auto-Tag From Filename features keep untagged tracks from falling through the cracks. Party mode locks down your library while still allowing people to request songs. Auto DJ plays selections from your library even when there are no requests in the queue, and the all-important iPod and portable device synchronization works well. Third-party plug-ins are available from the site if you want to tinker with the playback and encoding engine or add additional sound-processing effects. The interface is well designed, with clean, colorful icons throughout.
Considering the overall polish of this application, you'll be hard-pressed to find anything you don't like. Although it's definitely geared toward managing extensive collections, just about anyone will appreciate the comprehensive feature set. For $20, MediaMonkey Gold adds advanced features such as sleep, scripting, previewing, and on-the-fly file conversion when syncing with a portable device.
MediaMonkey Standard - Manage large media collections - Download Video Previews:Publisher's Description
From Ventis Media:
MediaMonkey is the media manager for serious collectors. It catalogs audio and video files and can be customized to the needs of different 'collections' (e.g. contemporary, classical music, audiobooks, home movies, tv, videos), whether they're located on a hard drive or a network. MediaMonkey organizes your library, looking up and tagging Album Art and data via Freedb and the web, and organizes your files via its automated renamer. It includes a CD ripper, podcast manager, and downloader to build your library, along with a CD/DVD Burner, UPnP / DLNA server, and sync manager to share it. With built-in conversion functionality, it supports hundreds of devices including iPhones, iPods, Android devices, as well as a variety of televisions and DVD players (via DLNA). MediaMonkey's advanced playlist management complements a player that automatically adjusts volume levels and a Jukebox / Party mode that locks the UI for use at public events. Most importantly, it supports hundreds of scripts, plug-ins and visualizations to further customize it to meet your needs. *Supports MP3, OGG, WMA, FLAC, MPC, WAV, CDs, M3U, PLS, AVI, MP4, WMV.
What's new in this version: Version 4.0.2.1462 fixes some bugs (mainly related to upgrades from version 3.x).
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All versions:
4.0 starsout of 1,316 votes
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Current version:
3.3 starsout of 22 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"The program does what it says it can do."
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.2.1462
Pros
The program works fastand pulls all my video and audio files.
Cons
None so far.
Summary
I am very happy with the free version. I was surprised the free version was loaded with so many options.
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"The perfect media manager for large collections!"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.2.1462
Pros
This software is as customizable as it gets! One thing that I like is that you can set it so that songs can be searched and double-clicked to add to the bottom of the playlist. This is useful when you have a song playing and want to add something to the playlist without disrupting what you are currently listening to. It can also be easily configured to "watch" a particular directory for changes. So if you past an album to your MP3 directory, Media Monkey will add it to the database automatically the next time you open it.
Cons
None found yet! I've been using this software for around 4 years. And it keeps getting better with each version.
Summary
A great program. Certainly an alternative to those who struggle using iTunes as their music manager. I gave iTunes a fair shake since it's a necessary evil being an iPhone user. No comparison!!!
One other thing... I don't work for or do I receive commission from the makers of Media Monkey ;) -
"It a great program and especially as it free"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.2.1462
Pros
Can do a lot more than with widows media player so as I am a novice at this I like the layout and find it reasonably easy to understand
Cons
good player and as it is free makes up for any bits that are lacking
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"A superb music player with frills, worth the cost"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.2.1462
Pros
fast, clean, helps to sort large and small collections, will play media movies etc
Cons
could do with somr small improvements in the sorting side although the basics are all there
Summary
The best player abd manager Ive come across and its fairly cheap
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"Used To Be Great, No Longer Being Supported"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.2.1462
Pros
Have used it for years and years and been very happy....
Cons
... however it is no longer seriously being supported. It won't work with iOSv5 which means it doesn't work with anything Apple, which means it is useless for anyone that has one of the biggest selling music devices in history. That new operating system came out in October2011. That was almost 4 months ago, still no support. Those of us that bought and used it for years have been abandoned. Very sad to see.
Summary
Don't get this unless you want software that has been abandoned by its designers. I will miss you Media Monkey. Off to find something better that is supported.
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"Auto Tag feature doesn't work"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.2.1462
Pros
rips and decodes FLAC files
Cons
Their Auto Tag feature doesn't work! The Auto Tag feature is tied into Amazon for some reason. Only 100 users at a time are allowed in. I couldn't get Auto Tag to work for two nights. I've asked for my money back but three weeks later, they still haven't credited my account.
Summary
The free version is OK but the Gold version is a total rip off. Don't spend any money with Media Monkey.
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"Didn't work with Windows 7 64bit and iPod Touch 4G"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.2.1462
Pros
Scanned (and added to library) all my music files faster than any media program I've ever seen. Faster loading than previous version.
Cons
Didn't work at all with my iPod touch 4G. I followed the wiki's advice to try the: Copy Trans Drivers Installer. That didn't work. Then I did what I was trying to avoid, I installed iTunes. Guess what? Even after installing iTunes, the blasted Media Monkey still didn't recognize my iPod!! Failure on Media Monkey as I see it. Still there is no real option for using a free alternative to iTunes. Boo!!
Summary
I don't really see any benefit to Media Monkey. Windows Media Player is simple, clean interface works with most media players except my iPod. Itunes works with my iPod but is so dang controlling of what computer is in charge of my iPod. Media Monkey needs to go back to the drawing board and make their interface intuitive like WMP and actually interface with iPods. Come on, this is 2012. Let's fix this stupid problem that has plagued us iPod users for years!!!
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"Fair product, but not enough for very large collections"
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.2.1462
Pros
The program provides lots of features, and it is nice to see so many features in a free program. It is very simple to use, and provides a fairly robust screen layout.
Cons
The video playback features are acceptable, but leave far too much to be desired that I rarely use the program for video functions. There are much better free video players that do a much better job...likely due to their more focused purpose.
Summary
It is a good free product, but may not meet the needs of users with large, diverse media libraries.
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"Not for serious collectors."
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.2.1462
Pros
It's not iTunes (which isn't so much a media manager as it is an expression of the manic that was Steve Jobs).
Cons
It's really not for serious collectors - see below.
Summary
The claim in the blurb that "MediaMonkey is the media manager for serious collectors" is interesting.
Serious collectors are fastidious about being able to tag their music properly with canonical metadata from the usual sites. They prefer their library to be tagged with unique identifiers (audio fingerprints or music brainz IDs and so forth) so that the process of curating a collection only has to be done *once*.
Media Monkey does NOT allow for this functionality. You cannot generate an audiofinger print with any of the available software (EchoPrint, AcoustID, MusicIP, etc) and then automatically get cannonical metadata. You cannot store custom id3 (and similar) tags in your media files.
You *could* do all of these things if the developers allowed for the possibility of writing custom tags into media files but they do not and have not since a request was made over 3 years ago.
Have a Sonos player that uses a custom tag for replaygain? You're out of luck here. Want to only have to tag a file ones with a unique identifier and then be able to get metadata for the rest of that file's existence? Out of luck here.
The tragedy of it all is that major flaws in Mediamonkey for audio collectors could have been addressed long ago but were not because they are convinced what everyone wants is to be able to play 30 Rock inside of Mediamonkey.
That's what "serious collectors" want - NOT the ability to curate a collection with ease and elegance. If you say so Mediamonkey, if you say so. -
"CNET 2008 Review was accurate for 2008. Things change."
Version: MediaMonkey Standard 4.0.2.1462
Pros
The software retains the functionality described in the CNET review.
Cons
The software retains the functionality described in the CNET review. Note the review date. Check out the features of newer music managers (MediaMonkey's video features are best ignored).
Summary
Media Monkey just doesn't seem to get that doing one thing very well (music management) would have been better than doing 2 things not-so-well.
Overall grade for music management compared to alternatives: C
Overall grade for video management compared to (free) alternatives: D
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